Apparatus for insulating high voltage leads through ends of connected components



Aug. 4, 1959 B. A. PETERS APPARATUS FOR INSULATING HIGH VOLTAGE LEADS THROUGH ENDS OF CONNECTED COMPONENTS Filed July :s, 1958 FIG. 3.

INVENTOR.

BELDON A. PETERS,

FIG.

ATTORNEY.

, R 2,898,414 Patented Aug- 4, 1959 APPARATUS non INSULATING man VOLTAGE LEADS THROUGH ENDS F CONNECTED COM- PONENTS Application July 3, 1958, Serial N0.746,368

4 Claims. (Cl. ZOO-51.14) 1 This invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly to electrical connectors for interconnecting electrical equipment housed in separate compartments which are adapted to be mechanically coupled together.

In connection with the assembly of electrical apparatus, it is at times desirable to make an electrical connection between apparatus housed in separate compartments, which electrical connection may be required to carry up to 100,000 volts or more. For example, a neutron generator for use in radioactivity logging of a borehole in the earth may require an ion acceleration poten tial of over 100,000 volts for eflicient generation of neutrons. Apparatus of this nature is described in the co-pending application 746,520, filed July 3, 1958, by N. L. Muench, B. A. Peters, and W. A. Hoyer for Neutron Logging Device. To provide proper insulation for the high voltage equipment within the housings, it has been found necessary to displace air in the housings with a special high voltage insulating gas such as sulphur hexafluoride. Sulphur hexafluoiide has special application in connection with neutron logging techniques because it does not contain hydrogen or carbon atoms that could give false indications of hydrocarbonaceous matter in earth formations surrounding the borehole being logged. Of necessity, there is a gap left between the equipment housing section which contains air that may break down at the very high voltages carried by the electrical connection between the housings.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, interconnecting, interfitting end sections of electrical equipment housings are provided with high voltage insulating sections centrally positioned so as to provide maximum insulation for the high voltage connection. A high voltage contact means extending through one of the insulating sections is connected to electrical equipment within the housing corresponding thereto. Extending through the other insulating section is a normally closed electrically conductive valve means which includes a valve stem projecting outwardly from the insulating section so as to contact the electrical contact means in the other insulating section. When the equipment housings are interconnected, the valve stem will engage the electrical means contact, open the valve and permit free fluid communication between the chamber interhousing and the interior of the housing associated with the valve. Pressurized insulating gas will flow into the space between the housings to flush out air therewithin. When the equipment housings are completely engaged, a sealing means carried by one of the housings will engage the other housing so as to seal oif the chamber between the housings and prevent the escape of insulating gas from and entry of air into the interhousing chamber.

The invention will be further described in connection with the associated drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a cut-away view, partially in section, of an 2 embodiment of the invention as used in connection with a well logging sonde; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged views of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 illustrating the operating positions of the valve associated with the invention.

With reference .now to Fig. 1, there is shown a logging sc'nde including equipmenthousing sections: 1 and 45, housing 1 being adapted to house a neutron generator and housing 45 being adapted to contain a high voltage power supply 47. The neutron generator includes an ion producing and'accelerating means 5 including a coil-9 and its associated radio frequency source 3, and a high voltage connecting section 19 having a connecting pin 17 for engaging the electrical contact 18 associated with the interhousing electrical connecting apparatus. The neutron generator may be supported by insulator supporting means 11 and other means not shown.

Housing 45 includes an end member 45a on which is supported high voltage generating equipment 47, which may be keyed or repetitively actuated pulse generator adapted togenerate pulses of the order of 100,000 volts. Housing 45 also includes an end section comprising a central insulating section 40 and an annular support means 37 therefor. The annular support means 37 may be of stainless steel. A check valve 49 is provided for the purpose of filling the interior of housing 45 with a suitable insulating gas such as sulphur hexafluoride. An electrical contact 39 extends through the center of insulating section 40. A spring biased contact member 43 is adapted ,to 'slideinwardly and outwardly within a bore or well in contact member 39. Coil spring 48 is provided for the purpose of biasing contact member 43 (Fig. 2). Contact member'43 engages a suitable electrical contact in .power supply 4-7. O-rings 35 and 41 are providedfor the purpose of sealing the interior of housing 45 to prevent the escape of insulating gas from the housing.

Housing lis also provided with end section comprising a central insulating member 23 and an annular support means 13 which screw-threadedly engages the interior of the cylindrical portion of the housing. Annular member 13 matingly-engages a female portion of annular member 37. Insulating section 23 is aifixed to anular section '13 by means of an annular retaining means 23a which clamps the insulating section 23 to the an-- nular member 13.

An electrically conductive valve housing 21 extends through the center of insulating section 23 so as tomatch the position of contact means 39 in insulating section 40. Preferably, valve housing 21 and contact means: 39 are axially positioned within their respective housings. Within valve housing 21 is a bore 22 which opens into the interior'of housing 1 at the upper end of the valve housing. A check valve chamber 22a opens into bore 22. Chamber 22a has a narrowed portion. at the lower end of the .valve housing to which it is connected by tapered section or shoulder'36. Valve head 32 is spring biased downwardly by coil spring 30 which bears against a small retaining nut screw-threaded into the upper end of valve chamber 22a. The valve piston has a tapered section that matches the tapered shoulder 36 of the valve chamber. An O-ring 34- on the tapered section of thevalve piston is provided for bearing against shoulder 36 to provide a fluid-tight, seal. when the valve piston or stem. is inits normal position shown in; Fig. 2.

A central bore 38 withinthe narrow section of. the;

valve stem is ported at its upper end by port 38a and at its lower end by port 42. The valve stem extends into a bore or well 44 within contact means 39.

Electrical contact 18 slides Within bore 22 and is spring biased upwardly by coil spring 24. A port 16 provides fluid communication between the interior of bore 22 and the interior of housing 1. O-rings 15, 25, and 29 pro vide fluid-tight seals for the interior of housing 1.

Let it be assumed that housing sections 1 and 45 are disconnected and that the interiors of the housings are filled with to psi. of sulphur hexafiuoride. When the housings are brought together so that the mating screw-threaded portions of end sections 13 and 37 are engaged, the relationship of the valve and the contact 39 will be as shown in Fig. 2. As housing 1 is screw-threaded into housing 45, valve stem 32 will be pushed upwardly by contact 39 so that sulphur hexafluoride will flow through port 16, bore 22, bore 28, valve chamber '22a, port 38a, bore 38, port 42 and into the chamber 31 between the housing 1 and 45. Since the gas is under pressure, air will be flushed out of the chamber between the sections. As the housings are screw-threaded together, annular section 13 will engage an O-ring sealing means 33 against annular member 37 to seal chamber 31 from the exterior of the housing. Escape of sulphur hexafluoride gas from the interior of housing 1 through chamber 31 will be prevented. However, the interior of chamber 31 will be substantially filled with sulphur hexafluoride gas. Therefore, when power supply 47 is energized, chamber 31 will be filled with an insulating gas and will not provide a conductive path from contact 39 and valve housing 21 to the grounded metallic coupling sections 13 and 37. Electrical power will be conducted between the housing by contact members 43 and 39, valve stem 32, valve housing 21, and contact 18.

The invention is not to be restricted to the specific structural details or circuit connections herein set forth, as various modifications thereof may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for making a high voltage connection between first and second interconnectable equipment housings, at least one of said housings containing a pressurized insulating gas: an electrically conducting, normally closed spring loaded check valve means in said first housing including a valve stem and a valve housing, adapted to abut against an end of said second housing and normally sealing said gas in said first housing; said valve being adapted to open upon engaging said electrical contact in the end of said second housing when said first and second housings are brought together for interconnection, to allow gas flow from said first enclosure into the space between said first and second enclosures to flush air from between said enclosures; and sealing means on one of said first and second enclosures adapted to abut against the other of said enclosures when said enclosures are completely interconnected to seal the space between said first and second enclosures and stop escape of gas from between said first and second enclosures, said valve housing being adapted for electrical connection to electrical apparatus within said first housing.

2. High voltage connecting apparatus for first and second electrical equipment housings having insulative, screw-threadedly engaging abutting end sections, said first housing being adapted to hold pressurized insulating gas, said housings when engaged defining a small chamber therebetween, said apparatus comprising: an electrical contact means extending through the insulative portion of said end section of said second housing; normally-closed electrically conductive valve means extending through the insulative portion of said end section of said first housing, adapted to engage said electrical contact means when said end sections are brought together to open and permit fluid communication between the interior of said first housing and said chamber; and sealing means adapted to seal said chamber when said end sections are completely screw-threadedly engaged to seal said chamber and prevent further escape of gas from said first housing and said chamber.

3. High voltage connecting apparatus for first and second electrical equipment housing means adapted to carry pressurized insulating gas; first and second abutting end sections for said first and second housings having electrically insulating central sections and respectively having male and female portions adapted to engage to form a compartment with said end sections; electrically conductive contact means projecting through said insulating section of said second end section; electrically conductive, normally closed valve means projecting through said first end section, adapted, when open, to provide fluid communication between the interior of said first housing and said compartment, said valve means including an electrically conductive valve stem projecting into said compartment adapted to engage said contact means when said end sections are brought together to open said valve; and sealing means adapted to seal said compartment when said end sections are completely engaged.

4. High voltage connecting apparatus for first and second generally cylindrical tubular electrical equipment housings adapted to contain pressurized insulating gas: first and second electrically insulating end sections means of high dielectric constant; first and second generally annular interfitting end section support means aflixed to said first and second end section means, respectively, and respectively adapted to screw-threadedly engage the ends of said first and second tubular housings; said first and second end sections support means further being adapted to screw-threadedly engage at the interfitting portions thereof, and when engaged to define a small chamber between said end section means; electrically conductive valve housing means centrally positioned in and extending through said first end section means and having an interconnected bore and check valve chamber extending therethrough, said bore opening at one end of said housing means and said check valve chamber opening at the other end of said housing means, said check valve chamber being of smaller diameter than said bore; a spring biased conductive contact member adapted for bilateral movement in said bore, having a port for free fluid communication between the interior and exterior of said bore; second electrically conductive contact means centrally positioned in and extending through said second end section means; an electrically conductive valve stem in said housing extending from said other end of said valve housing and having a central bore with a lateral passageway adapted to provide fluid communication between said valve housing bore and said small chamber, said valve stem being normally spring biased to prevent fluid communication between said valve housing bore and said small chamber, and being further adapted to engage said second contact means when said first and second end section support means are partially engaged to open fluid communication between said valve housing bore and said small chamber; and sealing means on one of said end section support means adapted to seal said small chamber when said first and second end section means are completely engaged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,359,351 Bruno Oct. 3, 1944 2,376,370 Lombardi May 22, 1945 2,795,397 Hull et al. June 11, 1957 

